Jose Mourinho refuses to blame John Terry following defender's red card

The champions were made to sweat for a 3-2 victory at West Bromwich Albion when their captain was dismissed in the 54th minute for bringing down Salomon Rondon as last man, a week after being substituted at half-time.

Mourinho tried to keep his counsel but appeared angered by referee Mark Clattenburg’s performance and hinted his team had been treated unfairly.

‘I don't want to make (anything of the red card),’ said the Chelsea manager. ‘To speak about that I have to speak about many other things in the game, some things you can see, others we can see. And so many things.

‘One striker push one defender, it's a foul, it's not a foul. Stop the game in midfield it's a yellow card, it's not a yellow card.

‘So I prefer to concentrate on us. With one player less, we are getting experience of that, we adapted well. We controlled the game, had the best chances to score the fourth goal, and I'm happy with the spirit.’

Chelsea have now spent a total of 74 minutes out of 270 this season playing a man down after Thibaut Courtois was dismissed against Swansea. 

Mourinho, who said it would be a waste to appeal the Terry sending off, insisted his team does not have a discipline problem and said he did not blame the defender. 

‘No,’ he said. 'It's a ball into space behind the full-back. The striker makes the movement and then Mr Clattenburg decides a red card.’

Clattenburg has history with Chelsea after the London club accused the official of using racist language in 2012. The claims were dismissed by police and the FA. Mourinho claimed it would be a ‘waste’ to appeal the Terry decision.

Pedro, the £21million signing from Barcelona, starred on his debut, scoring one and setting up another. Mourinho said: ‘I did expect it. He had a good pre-season. He came with intensity.’

Meanwhile, Mourinho joked that he was 'singing' into the microphone after he was pictured getting up close and personal with a TV mic.  

Tony Pulis was himself angered at feeling forced to leave out Saido Berahino from his squad because the transfer window remains open. The West Brom boss decided Berahino was not in the right frame of mind amid a £15m bid from Tottenham Hotspur, who are expected to return with a higher offer.

‘He's a young lad who needs to be protected,’ said Pulis. ‘There's loads of stuff going on in his mind and there are loads of clubs, not one but about 15, saying things and doing things. The kid shouldn’t have this problem.’

(dailymail.co.uk)